"I can't breathe, I can't catch my breath:" the impact of school staff storytelling on asthma management.

Abstract

Objective: A qualitative data analysis was conducted to better understand experiences of asthma exacerbation among school staff through thematic analysis of stories of children in respiratory distress.

Methods: Qualitative thematic analysis was performed on 40 virtual or in-person interviews conducted with 44 staff from districts participating in a stock inhaler pilot program. Transcripts were iteratively coded by five coders. Stories of instances when a stock inhaler may have been helpful were subject to additional thematic analysis by one coder.

Results: Forty-five stories across 27 interviews were identified. Major themes were split into "Provocation" and "Outcomes of Asthma Incident." "Educational and Communication Factors" in asthma exacerbations were discussed more often than environmental ones. Outcomes were divided into "Disposition" (with 14 participants choosing to describe incidents where emergency services were contacted), "Emotional Response," and "School Response." "Trauma for Students" was mentioned only by school nurses.

Conclusions: Stock inhaler programming can alleviate helplessness, reduce trauma, and avoid costly hospital visits. Personal narratives can be a powerful tool for understanding unique needs and developing tailored, sustainable interventions for individual districts. These stories are incredibly persuasive in convincing other schools, districts, lawmakers, and other stakeholders to implement stock inhaler programming.